Sunday, December 22, 2013

Another infrequent post

It has been nearly 3 months since my last post. I bought myself an electric spray gun via ebay. I avoided the cheapest ones and bought something a bit better. I've stripped as much off the car as I can while keeping the car's interior secured and being able to keep the car drivable. I've managed to paint the car with tins of grey primer from the pound shop. This will give the cellulose primer a decent key and the "pound shop" primer acts as a barrier coat which will avoid any reaction with the paint underneath (that's the hope anyway). I don't think that you can have too much paint on the car. After much deliberation and some feedback from friends and family, I've decided on Damson as the new colour of choice. I didn't mind the Russett Brown but it isn't right for 1972. I'm seriously considering changing the Sprint alloys for the original steel wheels and the metal wheel trims that the early Dolomite 1850s had. Because of all this work, I didn't MoT the car so it will be well into next year before it goes in for the dreaded MoT. I've been restoring parts as they've come off the car so they will be ready to go straight back on once the car is resprayed. I've done the headlights, both bumpers, the number plates and the air cleaner so far. There's the camshaft cover to repaint. It also needs a new gasket because it is weeping. A service is also needed. As part of the colour change, I'll be painting the engine bay satin black.

I'm having a bit of trouble sourcing the cellulose paint and with winter setting in, I'll have to delay spraying until it gets a bit warmer. Despite having just a car port for shelter it is a couple of degrees more than if the car was totally exposed to the elements.